The most widely used method for laminating carpet pile to carpet backing involves the application of a carpet latex formulation to the surfaces of the backing and/or the piles being bonded together. It should be noted that the pile is normally mechanically bound to a primary backing to form a pile composite which is referred to herein as simply the pile. The coated innerface of the two surfaces (the pile composite and the carpet backing) are brought together and the whole composite including the pile portion of the construction is normally sent through large ovens. The heat treatment in the ovens serves the dual purpose of driving off the water contained in the latex compound and simultaneously curing the latex to effect a lamination of the pile to the backing. Upon exiting from the ovens, the finished carpet composite is cooled and taken up on large storage rolls.
The textile backing utilized in manufacturing carpet, particularly tufted carpets, is a loosely woven fabric of natural or synthetic fibrous materials, such as jute or polypropylene. The pile is normally manufactured with a tufting machine wherein the individual fiber filaments are pulled or punched through the interstices of a textile layer such that a portion of the individual filaments extend below the plane of the first textile layer. These portions of the individual filaments or tufts must be locked or bonded into position so that the tufts do not pull out during the service life of the carpet. The backing is superposed over substantially all of the pile with the carpet latex composition interposed between the two layers. The general purpose of the backing is to protect the exposed ends of the tufts and also to add additional dimensional stability to the finished carpet structure.
Aqueous liquids (such as water, carpet shampoos and beverages) can normally penetrate through the carpet backing to the flooring below. Thus, in cases where water or beverages are spilled on conventional carpet, the liquid typically seeps through and ultimately reaches the flooring below. Unfortunately, the carpet structure itself hinders the clean-up of the spilled liquid. This trapped liquid can lead to bacterial or fungal growth which can further cause odors and/or deterioration of the carpet backing or flooring.